Photos of Inspiration ~ [04.12.11]

My Tuesday morning is going really well. Yesterday was great, too - and a Monday! Of course as soon as I say that something will go terribly wrong and then the rest of the week will suck. But I'm going to try NOT to let that happen; I think it's in our power to control what we feel and do. We obviously can't change people; people are the 'wild card' and are never what we want or hope or expect them to be, even people we've known for a hundred years and think we can rely on. So just control yourself and you can at least stay calm and carry on in the face of distress.

This morning, I have a few photos of inspiration, as I call them; photos (feelings, energies really) that inform my mood and my day, that I carry in the back of my mind ... an escape of sorts. Today's photos are about tea. Sort of. They are just downright lovely is what, and I wanted to share them.

What inspires me today is fresh cool air and warm sun on my shoulders; breezes on a sun-drenched day; the yellow of an old photograph; crisp grass whisping in the air; the feel of slick bark under my palm.

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"Snow" Day

Today is a snow day. More specifically an 'inclement weather' day. 

It was a little touch-and-go around 6:58am when I checked my work e-mails and didn't see any office closure notifications. Then I checked the school district website: closed! That used to be the only criterion for office closures but somehow the closure of government offices in the city in which our office is located (Dallas) is now included on that list of pre-requisites. 

Dallas' government offices never close for bad weather (which likely accounts, in part, for the perpetual grumpy demeanor of all government employees; yes, this is a stereotype, but it is also a fact). So our office remained open for business - but we were urged to use our 'best judgment' and 'choose safety' as we decided whether or not to brave the accident-riddled roads and slick pavements. I had a choice to make: Go to work through ice and sleet and snow and gusting blades of ice? OR Stay home and warm and wait it out like a smart, evolved, life-preserving being? The latter, please!

Alas, the company came through and closed the office officially. Dallas finally announced (around 8:45am) the closure of its court system for Tuesday. 

Bear in mind 'treacherous' and 'gusting' are relative terms. Wisconsinites would likely scoff and smirk condescendingly at our softness.

can you see the icicles??

For now I'm sipping my third giant mug of coffee this morning and enjoying the slow progression of a day with minimal and pleasant expectations. 

(I started my coffee pot and noticed after a couple of minutes that no coffee was being made; the coffee pot decided it was done making coffee for me after 6 years of loyal service. So I turned to my reliable and non-electric French Press.)

It's not that I'm especially tired or caffeine-starved; mostly I just want to have something warm in my hands - whenever I glance outside to see icicles dangling from my patio and little snow flakes coursing sporadically through the air, it makes for a cozy contrast. The sun decided to peek out for 3 seconds just now and make the snow flakes look more like silvery glitter darting around my backyard. Kevin would say they are fairies. <3

I've decided my to-do list for today is as follows (subject to change/whims):

1. Morning yoga. I never do yoga in the mornings - on a Tuesday, most especially - and so I plan on taking advantage of this very quiet morning to stretch and salute the day and let my brain know that I want it to engage and be happy and centered today. Stress be damned; I am striving so hard to ignore its skill at destroying my happiness and contentedness - one day I will forget what all the stress was about and simply recall having been happy or unhappy. I really don't want to look back on my life and feel I was pointlessly disappointed and needlessly let down by completely unmemorable and unimportant rifts and strifes with people who pass in and out of my life like little flecks of snow on the grass.

2. Watch the last episode of 'The Office' Season 6. Kevin finished it last night after I simply had to go to bed. I knew I'd have to get up earlier to allow for the atrocious weather and road conditions which I have thankfully been saved from after all. At least I have been up since around 7 this morning. I'm so glad I didn't go back to bed, however tempting that was, for sure.

3. A little housecleaning. Dishes, laundry, maybe a touch of ironing (at least that's warm!) and some Swiffer-ing.

4. Cooking! I think a big pot of something yummy like potato soup or chili would suit the day.

5. Hmm ... I guess that's all. *smile*

New Year's Resolution: To treat my body better

This winter I resolved to change my habits for the better. Someone once said something about insanity and doing the same things over with the expectation of a different result. I'm over doing the same thing over; over and done. I'm ready to really change my habits, make them better and heathier, smarter. New year; new start ... here's hoping I can make it last.

Speaking of new starts, check out my new haircut. Now you see it now you don't! I decided to go extra short. I have wanted to for so long and finally did. It is one of the most liberating things I've done and I don't see myself 'going back' for a long time.

Before ...

After ...

One of the facets of my self-improvement is fitness. Since September (ish) I have been doing yoga at my house with a friend three evenings a week. It makes me feel better, more connected, more vibrant. I used to do yoga ALL the time. When I was living with my parents (over 6 years ago) and going to school in the mornings, I would come home and have lunch with my mom and then spend sometimes all afternoon and evening studying, reading, listening to music and practicing yoga in my room. My parents said I was 'cloistering' myself. I believed I was taking care of myself. I still do.

I think yoga has the power to restore my body; I have already seen it happening over the last few months. I feel stronger and more centered. I feel more at rest mentally; this is huge - no other pratice has had the ability to do this for me. I can't believe I allowed myself to drop the practice of yoga for so long knowing its healing power. It's a rush of energy, strength and peace throughout my body ... a connection with something great within myself. I can't imagine not doing yoga; I know life with yoga and life without it: life with yoga is a much better way to live.

So ... I continue my yoga practice 3 times a week. I supplement it with healthier eats and happier thoughts - I find the latter comes even more naturally with the incorporation of yoga into my routine. I eat more raw foods, fruits and vegetables and less animal products - no meat (sometimes a piece of tilapia), but still eggs from time to time and my Greek yogurt drizzled over almond granola. I try not to eat sugar and desserts (honey in my tea though). I make lots of tabbouleh and raw cabbage salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, steamed broccoli, curried chickpeas. Between meals I snack on apples, bananas, grapes, almonds or a glass of So Delicious Dairy Free. My goal is to go entirely vegan this year; I haven't gone 'cold turkey', but I'm making the shift.

Here are a couple of recipes for raw, vegan foods that I adore. They are nothing but pure goodness for your body and mind.

TABBOULEH:

I love tabbouleh! I could eat it every day and not tire of it.

You can find my full recipe here.


RAW CABBAGE SALAD:

I first made this salad (not exactly the same) a couple of years ago. I was actually making a 'regular' (lettuce) salad and thought it would be nice to add some raw cabbage for crunch (not to mention heart health). I loved it. This version is now all cabbage and no lettuce so I guess it's technically a slaw, but I don't drown it in a fatty mayo dressing; just some olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

1/2 head cabbage, green or red, grated or chopped into small pieces
1 tomato, diced small
1/4 green bell pepper, diced small
1 carrot, grated
1/3 large cucumber, peeled and diced small
2 green onions, chopped (greens and whites)
1 T capers, drained and rinsed
2 eggs, hardboiled and coarse chopped (obviously if I was a pure vegan I wouldn't include this)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped

drizzle of olive oil
juice of 1/2 a large lemon

Combine all the prepared vegetables and toss with the oil and lemon juice. Season with Kosher salt and fresh cracker pepper.




Leftovers for lunch today.


RawFoodRecipes.com is a great website I stumbled upon in my quest for health. It's a great resource for all things vegetarian, vegan and raw.

Let me know what you are doing this year to make your body and mind a better place to live. And please share your healthy recipes, too!!

Thinking about Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of those sadly overlooked holidays.

Take my neighbor, for example. She put her Hallowen decorations up - including a lighted, inflatable Jack-O-Lantern-Scare-Crow-on-a-Harley (fact) proudly standing guard on her front lawn. She is one of 'those' people; perhaps she didn't celebrate Halloween as a kid and is making up for it now, tenfold? When I was growing up, Halloween - erm, Reformation Day - was the one night annually that we, ignoring our usual alert and vigilant crime-detterance, intentionally left our porch lights off, shut ourselves into the living room and watched 'Martin Luther' (1953).

The day after Halloween is when many people traditionally turn to Thanksgiving: planning a menu and figuring out what side of the family you will grin and bear for the day, thinking of cinnamon rolls and coffee while watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade and that lovely feeling as you realize Christmas is just around the corner. No. Not my neighbor. November 1st, I come home from work (and it's dark around 6:15pm since Daylight Savings has kicked in): her house is aglow with flickering, colorful Christmas lights, her cactus draped in a white strand, her roofline twittering in full-color, her porch festooned in strands of snowflakes. She completely skipped Thanksgiving! Who does that?


When I was a kid, Thanksgiving was a good holiday in my house. No sadly-disappointed expectations of gifts (even when we get what we want, it's not quite as electrifying as imagined; I blame Hollywood!), no decorations to tear down and if it didn't snow, you really didn't care. The food is the centerpiece on Thanksgiving. Maybe this is partially to blame for my food addiction, even now. Mom's spread was over the top and more delicious than words can convey. Hers is the best Thanksgiving meal I have ever had. What is sad though is that I haven't had it in 6 years. I really miss it.

I really miss my mom's great cooking. Her turkey and homemade turkey gravy - lots of it (I hate going to people's houses and there is one boatful of gravy for like, 10 people. Doesn't each person get their own boatful of gravy? Btw, I love that boat and gravy are friends here...mmm). Her cornbread dressing with celery and sage and lots of garlic; her wild rice dressing with mushrooms, green bean casserole (after many years, she updated the delicious traditional green bean casserole with fresh beans and carmelized onions), sweet potato casserole, jello salad (not like any jello salad you have ever had so don't judge!), corn casserole and most years canned cranberries (apparently, the comparative qualities of canned vs homemade is a topic of debate). There is something magical though about a slice of gelatinous cranberry 'sauce' on a turkey sandwich with mayo the day after Thanksgiving. Homemade is lovely, but it just doesn't compare.


I miss the warm kitchen on Thanksgiving morning and knowing mom was up early, at least for a few minutes, to put the massive bird in the oven. I miss the din of the parade and then football in the TV room, our simple table and mom's French Countryside dishes (I love how the raised sides held in our huge platefuls of food - some plates are just too flat for Thanksgiving feasting!). My dad is a piemaking pro and he would always make his famous (yes, famous) Lemon Meringue and Coconut Cream Pies. They were divine. I remember in the old house we would put them in the laundry room on top of the drier, one in a vintage Tupperware pie carrier and the other covered in a lime green plastic bowl; it was cooler in there during the winter months and kept the pies but without being too cold in the fridge (you have to respect the meringue!). Dad's homemade crust and flour on the countertop, mom's Frugal Gourmet apron, our very old carving knive buzzing over the brown turkey (all of us vying for the crunchiest pieces of skin!), casserole dishes everywhere. Good times.

However bizarre my little family is, there will never ever be a Thanksgiving that will compare until I can eat my mom's Thanksgiving dinner again.


I'm thankful this year for my good husband, our new home, our health, and the small things.

What a beautiful day!!

It's been really cold (in Texan terms) for over a week now - wonderful, jacket-worthy weather. But today I went outside expecting the same and found that it is a perfect, mild day. I turned the heat off and opened my kitchen windows to the light breeze and the rustling leaves. Smiley was snuffling about in the ground cover and Kevin spotted Samantha again, but only for a minute. I went out to water all our plants and got my arm wet: it helps if the hose is connected to the spigot before turning it on full blast! I tried to take a picture of Kevin in the natural light but he decided instead I should be wrestled into the ground; I'd forgotten how fun it is to roll around in the leaves.

My plants are still doing really well, though I think my Morning Glories have bloomed their last for the year. They are yellow and wilty now. My Forget Me Nots are pretty, though still not a single bloom, and my Basil is, of course, still hearty. My jalapeno and avocado seeds have sprouted. I think it's almost time for them to come inside -- I think we're going to make a spot for all of them in the garage, though I'm worried about the lack of sunshine.

There is more and more color to all the trees and plants. I've noticed another bush at the side of the yard is yellow now - it was still green just last week. And of course the crepe myrtle is stunning. I can see the tops of the trees in our neighbor's yards and across the street and they have turned as well. Such a pretty array of Fall colors.

Kevin pruned one of our plants while I caught Smiley eying the yard through the glass door - I think he wants to come outside again.

They didn't come out after all. I think something startled them back inside.

My roses bloomed again, too. I think these are about the largest roses I've seen on this plant; flawless and fragrant. Something about flowers like this make me want to pick them and put them in a vase. Although my intention would be to enjoy their beauty while it lasted, it seems more shameful and selfish than anything.

My First Rice Pilaf

My mom used to make this great rice pilaf; fluffy rice with peas and tiny shrimp and ... I'm not sure what else. But I remember my dad really liked it. He and my brother had favorite things they always requested her to make: dad had his German's Chocolate Cake for his birthday and my brother had stuffed peppers. I never had anything like that. I have never had a niche, gastronomically speaking (or otherwise). I just ... love food.

Anyway, I haven't had pilaf in forever and I decided to try some tonight with my herbed chicken. I started some chicken (boneless, skinless) in the oven after seasoning it: Kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper, (a tiny dusting of) granulated garlic, paprika and parsley with a drizzle of olive oil on top.

I guess I never thought about the 'trick' for keeping the grains of rice from gumming together in pilaf like they tend to when you just boil rice on the stove. Apparently it just takes a little time in the hot pan before adding the liquid (I used chicken broth) to sort of toast the grains. I don't make Rice-A-Roni all that often so this step isn't top of mind when it comes to preparing a rice dish. The rice turned out wonderfully: individual, fluffy grains and not a hint of gum! I am very pleased with my effort!

To start, I melted 2 tablespoons of butter and added 1/2 an onion, diced, to a warm pan over medium heat; then I added 2 ribs of diced celery and let them soften for a couple minutes. I poured in 1-1/3 cups of white rice (though I'm sure brown or Jasmine would be just as good) and let it toast for about 2 minutes, stirring to make sure all the rice had time at the bottom of the pot. Add the broth (2-1/2 cups) and 1/4 cup of golden raisins (mmm); let it steam with a lid on til all the broth is absorbed. I stirred it just a couple times because I always worry my rice is going to stick. When I boil rice the usual way, I sometimes add a drizzle of olive oil to the water which seems to help. While the rice cooked, I toasted about 1/4 cup of pine nuts in a dry saute pan (not the non-stick variety) over low heat for just a few minutes and then set them aside. Once the rice is done, add the pine nuts and a handful of course-chopped basil (fresh) and some salt and pepper. It made the perfect accompaniment to my baked chicken.

Do you know of a great pilaf? I'm always up for a new recipe. =)

Another week has passed ...

The weeks fly by faster this time of year. Not sure if it's the fact we are pulled in three times as many directions with the holidays and familial requirements; obscene amounts of gifting and baking and traveling; getting sick; going to parties; and generally trying to stay sane. Whatever combination of elements, the Fall and Winter months feel harried and short and they pass by with so much 'ado' over what turns out to be nothing and so quickly forgotten.

That new DVD player for $3 at Wal-Mart (starting at 5am, limited quantities of course; and mind you don't trample someone to death on the way to aisle 12!) quickly loses its shine and those new toys find a place in the pile of rarely touched items that accrue and accrue in playrooms and bedrooms, pushed aside for the newer model.

Just reminds me how important it is to not get caught up in the hubbub and the madness. Enjoy the wonderful foods and the good times with the people you care about; the bright Christmas tree and 'It's a Wonderful Life' and hot cocoa, a cat curled up in a frosty window. Enjoy them just as you would the first warm day of Spring and the first nip in the air that tells you Fall is on the way; just as you would any small but hugely significant thing that passes by quickly but with potentially great effect. Enjoy them, but don't get caught up in the insignificant parts.

Life is the small things. People say 'don't sweat the small stuff' but life is just that: a sequence of small things that make up who we are as individuals. So ... sweat the small stuff. Make the most of it. Savor the small things and the short moments and the turns of countenance; a kiss or a smile, a laugh with a friend, finding common ground, a piece of chocolate, or spending the evening with your favorite person.

I realize more the older I get that there are too many lovely things that pass us by if we are fixated on the negative things or the toxic people or the 'what if's'. Cross the bridge when you come to it and make the best of it. Try to remember what you did right and change what you think you can to make it better the next time around.

I see, too, that research and knowledge and observation are some of the more fulfilling practices in life. Read and learn - there is always something new to discover. I can feel myself changing and improving with all the articles I read and words I learn and new things I discover that I didn't even know existed before. How could anyone ever be bored?

Just a few of the small things from my week ... 

My curious cat, Smiley. I love the look in his apple green eyes.

A mystery herb that decided to sprout again after weeks of ... nothing. I brought it inside to the dining room window since it's getting a little too cold outside for herbs now.

Old-fashioned Scrabble in a pretty wooden box. Kevin and I sometimes play games together in the evenings.

Inspired by my friend, I have a 'thing' for collecting pretty napkins. They are so inexpensive but make a simple lunch or tea and cookies that much more pleasant ...

Breaking off a little piece of hazelnut milk chocolate.

A pot of rice pilaf simmering on the stove.

My warm, cozy house on a cool Fall night, my three favorite people (Kevin and the cats ;), a nice dinner and Friday night...

Happy weekend. =)

New Cat on the Block

This morning I was pouring another mug of coffee (brr!) and saw out my kitchen window a cat walking on the gardening ledge on our back patio. I'd seen her a couple times before walking on our back fence, but never IN the yard, right by the house. She (I discovered later she was a she) was very comfortable and relaxed. She sat down at the corner of the ledge, by the back door, and just watched Carmen as she hissed at her from behind the glass, tail fat and bristled and ready for a fight, tiny but vicious teeth bared.

Samantha just watched curiously and didn't hiss or growl even once. I decided she looked like a Samantha - Sam for short. I took a couple pictures of her from the house and thought she might be hungry so I filled an old feeder with some water and a bit of food and slowly opened the back door, watching for Smiley or Carmen to be hot on my heels. At this point Smiley was all worked up, too; he and Carmen had been stalking each other around the living room as though they each were a foreign invader cat and they were protecting their territory.

Are you coming out or not?

I shut the door behind me and Samantha walks right up and rubs against my legs, flopping herself on the ground and rubbing her little face into the patio, her soft white belly and brown ears covered in dirt and leaves. She has a short face, not as long a snout as Smiley and Carmen; she has a shorter tail, too, more like Carmen – Smiley’s is long like a monkey’s tail. She is very friendly and seems to be comfortable with humans but doesn’t have a collar. I wonder who she belongs to and who is missing her. Hopefully she has a home; I hate for animals to be stray or orphaned and not have a consistent place to stay.

Samantha is more interested in rubbing my knee - I'm sitting crossed-legged by the door now - than in her food which I've set down beside me. I snap a couple more photos and she sniffs my basil and jalapeno sproutlings. She finally takes a few bites after thoroughly sniffing the food and the tray and my hands a few more times.

After several minutes with her and lots of petting and cooing on my part I am rather cold and go back inside. Samantha peers up at me through the widow in the door, held tilted to the left, as if to ask why I'm leaving so soon. I think how nice it must be to have a fur coat. She walks around the grass some and uses our yard as a toilet (even scraping up some leaves and grass when she's done).

She walks over to the corner of the yard and hops effortlessly onto the middle fence rail and then onto the top of the fence. She takes a few steps onto our neighbor’s fence and jumps - gone into the alley for more stray cat adventures. I just hope she remembers our yard is a friendly one and I'll always have some food for her if she comes around again.

"We shall find peace...we shall see the sky sparkling with diamonds."

This morning I realized our crepe myrtle in the backyard is on fire with fall colors. I am not sure when this happened but it took me by complete surprise. It is red and orange and gold and brown and yellow and green all at once. It is simply stunning and I had to admire it for a moment and drink it in.

I so appreciate - more and more over the years - the beauty of things I can observe in my natural surroundings. I am fascinated at how little seeds can sprout into tall, beautiful plants and how trees are so in tune to the Earth's energy, it doesn't take more than a fortnight of cool weather for them the respond in kind and turn their colors to the fall. It's all so rhythmic and primal. It's like yoga for plants. Yoga is one of those things that makes me feel very alive and aware of myself as a living organism. Very flowing and natural and simply amazing.

Mug of coffee in hand I stepped outside today to drink in the chilly air - I love how it feels inside my lungs - and to soak up the sunbeams that beat onto the leaves and the grass and my face. A little chilly breeze and a squirrel running along the fence. Otherwise, perfectly quiet and perfectly peaceful.

If I was a bird, I would live here ...

Crystal clear skies.

Bright sun and tissue paper leaves.

The perfect Fall morning ...

(Quote Credit: Anton Checkov, 'Uncle Vanya')

Today's Good Things

It's been a pretty stellar Thursday overall. I'm staying positive, getting hoards of work done, and being nice to people; this is always a good start. On top of that, I have been complimented for my style, appreciated for my work, and consulted for my advise. A trifecta of confidence boosters all in the same afternoon! *smile*

It got me thinking about some of the good things ... Here is today's list:

1. FREE Dallas Stars tickets, and sharing them with friends. I got 4 free tickets (amazing seats!) to tonight's Stars hockey game and 2 free parking passes. We were able to share them with another couple who we haven't seen in forever; we can catch up with them and put the tickets to good use all at once. Not to mention the killer AAC Supreme Nachos, a tall Miller Light and a bag of shell-your-own peanuts to make it the perfect hockey game experience. I can't wait! Photos to come! =)

2. This beauty of a dutch oven which, at $200, will have to stay right where it is: online!

I love admiring pretty things (you don't have to buy to appreciate) and getting ideas for when I try to find them for way cheaper. It's always exciting finding something beautiful for a fraction of the price at Goodwill or a yard sale. I found a great Shabby Chic brand lamp for $5 (a steal!) at Goodwill and got a $14 lampshade at Home Goods; the lamp with no shade retails for $25. Yay for savings!



Not too 'Shabby' for $5. =)

3. Discovering another person's perspective. I enjoy talking with people who I'm still in the process of getting to know (a new friend or co-worker, or an old friend) and realizing their perspective is usually more multi-faceted than might be assumed. And learning, too, that there are many commonalities between myself and that person.

4. Starbucks House Blend. 'Nuf said.

5. Christmastime! I am so excited about it this year because I get to set up my tree and decor for the first time in our new house.



I'm pretty sure I will be whipping up a batch of THESE come December!